Targeting neuro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress by minocycline attenuates quinolinic-acid-induced Huntington's disease-like symptoms in rats.

Recent experimental and clinical reports support the fact that the minocycline exhibits significant neuroprotective activity in neurodegenerative diseases. However, its mechanism of neuroprotection is still far from our understanding. Besides, minocycline does not always produce neuroprotective effect.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel -phenyl-5-carboxamidyl Isoxazoles as Potential Chemotherapeutic Agents for Colon Cancer.

A new series of isoxazole derivatives, -phenyl-5-carboxamidyl isoxazoles, was investigated for their anticancer activity with solid tumor selectivity. Six -phenyl-5-carboxamidylisoxazoles were chemically synthesized and evaluated by the disk-diffusion assay and IC cytotoxicity determination. The results showed that one of the derivatives, compound -(4-chlorophenyl)-5-carboxamidyl isoxazole, was the most active against colon 38 and CT-26 mouse colon tumor cells with an IC of 2.

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis: recent developments.

A substantial number of patients who recover from kala-azar will develop dermatosis [commonly known as post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL)]. It usually occurs in the Indian subcontinent and East Africa. As many as 10-20% of Indian cases and 50-60% of Sudanese cases develop PKDL after successful treatment of visceral leishmaniasis.

Molecular mechanism of interleukin-2-induced mucosal homeostasis.

Sustained damage to the mucosal lining in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) facilitates translocation of intestinal microbes to submucosal immune cells leading to chronic inflammation. Previously, we demonstrated the role of Jak3 in IL-2-induced intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) migration, one of the early events during intestinal wound repair. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-2 also plays a role in IEC homeostasis through concentration-dependent regulation of IEC proliferation and cell death.

Spatial attention boosts short-latency neural responses in human visual cortex.

In a previous study of visual-spatial attention, Martinez et al. (2007) replicated the well-known finding that stimuli at attended locations elicit enlarged early components in the averaged event-related potential (ERP), which were localized to extrastriate visual cortex. The mechanisms that underlie these attention-related ERP modulations in the latency range of 80-200 ms, however, remain unclear.

The ability of live three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography to evaluate the attachment site of intracardiac tumors.

In this study, a case of a right ventricular myxoma and a case of a right ventricular hemangioma are used to demonstrate the ability of live three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (3DTEE) to assess the site of tumor attachment. Because 3DTEE has the ability to visualize desired structures in multiple planes, we defined the attached portion of the tumors and measured the en face view dimensions. In addition, the improved ability of 3DTEE to evaluate tissue characteristics allowed differentiation of the heterogeneous myxoma and highly vascular hemangioma.

A naturally occurring naringenin derivative exerts potent bone anabolic effects by mimicking oestrogen action on osteoblasts.

Background And Purpose: Naringenin and its derivatives have been assessed in bone health for their oestrogen-'like' effects but low bioavailability impedes clinical potential. This study was aimed at finding a potent form of naringenin with osteogenic action.

Experimental Approach: Osteoblast cultures were harvested from mouse calvaria to study differentiation by naringenin, isosakuranetin, poncirin, phloretin and naringenin-6-C-glucoside (NCG).

Incremental value of live/real time three-dimensional over two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography in the evaluation of right coronary artery fistula.

We report an adult with a right coronary artery to right atrial fistula in whom live/real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography with its ability to trace the entire course and obtain en face views of the fistula connections, was able to provide significant incremental information over two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

A novel quercetin analogue from a medicinal plant promotes peak bone mass achievement and bone healing after injury and exerts an anabolic effect on osteoporotic bone: the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a mediator of osteogenic action.

We recently reported that extracts made from the stem bark of Ulmus wallichiana promoted peak bone mass achievement in growing rats and preserved trabecular bone mass and cortical bone strength in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Further, 6-C-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(2S,3S)-(+)-3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanol (GTDF), a novel flavonol-C-glucoside isolated from the extracts, had a nonestrogenic bone-sparing effect on OVX rats. Here we studied the effects of GTDF on osteoblast function and its mode of action and in vivo osteogenic effect.

Role of functional polymorphisms of P53 and P73 genes with the risk of prostate cancer in a case-control study from Northern India.

Background And Aims: P53 gene variants BstUI RFLP at codon 72 in exon 4, 16-bp tandem repeat in intron 3 and Msp I RFLP in intron 6 and P73 gene variants of G4C14-to-A4T14 (GC/AT), exon 2 polymorphism, which respectively codes for four functionally different protein isoforms, have been shown to modulate susceptibility to different types of human neoplasms. We undertook this study to evaluate the role of P53 and P73 SNPs in prostate cancer in a Northern Indian population.

Methods: P53 and P73 genotypes were assessed in a hospital-based case-control study comprised of 177 prostate cancer cases and 265 healthy controls.

Transesophageal echocardiographic finding of left atrial appendage lobe mimicking a mass lesion.

We describe an elderly patient undergoing ablation for atrial fibrillation in whom, two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography showed a mass-like lesion in or adjacent to left atrial appendage (LAA). This mass-like effect was produced by en face visualization of the top of a LAA lobe in the presence of a small effusion in the transverse sinus of the pericardium.

Bile acid receptor agonist GW4064 regulates PPARγ coactivator-1α expression through estrogen receptor-related receptor α.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) is induced in energy-starved conditions and is a key regulator of energy homeostasis. This makes PGC-1α an attractive therapeutic target for metabolic syndrome and diabetes. In our effort to identify new regulators of PGC-1α expression, we found that GW4064, a widely used synthetic agonist for the nuclear bile acid receptor [farnesoid X receptor (FXR)] strongly enhances PGC-1α promoter reporter activity, mRNA, and protein expression.

Ontogeny and tissue-specific expression of innate immune related genes in rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton).

The innate immune response in fish represents an early and rapid defense against pathogens. The present study aims at looking into ontogeny of innate immune system in the teleost, Labeo rohita using RT-PCR based approach. Total RNA extracted from unfertilized and fertilized eggs, and hatchlings (hatched at 28 ± 2 °C) at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 h, and 3, 7, 16, 21, 31 days post-fertilization were subjected to RT-PCR using self-designed or earlier published primers to amplify some innate immune relevant genes (lysozyme C, lysozyme G, beta-2 microglobulin, toll-like receptor 22-like and transferrin).

Design and performance of a punch mechanism based pellet injector for alternative injection in the large helical device.

A low speed single barrel pellet injector, using a mechanical punch device has been developed for alternative injection in the large helical device. A pellet is injected by the combined operation of a mechanical punch and a pneumatic propellant system. The pellet shape is cylindrical, 3 mm in diameter and 3 mm in length.

Ingenuity in pattern recognition: a novel bioinformatics approach towards lung cancer identification.

Lung cancer is the significant contributor of increased cancer deaths. Earlier research indicates that the environmental factors have a major role in causing lung cancer. It is evident that the pathway of lung cancer includes both RAS-mediated and non-RAS-mediated mechanisms.

Medicarpin, a legume phytoalexin, stimulates osteoblast differentiation and promotes peak bone mass achievement in rats: evidence for estrogen receptor β-mediated osteogenic action of medicarpin.

Dietary isoflavones including genistein and daidzein have been shown to have favorable bone conserving effects during estrogen deficiency in experimental animals and humans. We have evaluated osteogenic effect of medicarpin (Med); a phytoalexin that is structurally related to isoflavones and is found in dietary legumes. Med stimulated osteoblast differentiation and mineralization at as low as 10⁻¹⁰ M.

Neural basis of superior performance of action videogame players in an attention-demanding task.

Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) were recorded from action videogame players (VGPs) and from non-videogame players (NVGPs) during an attention-demanding task. Participants were presented with a multi-stimulus display consisting of rapid sequences of alphanumeric stimuli presented at rates of 8.6/12 Hz in the left/right peripheral visual fields, along with a central square at fixation flashing at 5.

Intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia after arterial switch operation.

Intrapericardial diaphragmatic hernia after median sternotomy for cardiothoracic procedures is a rare complication. We describe an interesting case of diaphragmatic hernia in a 6-month-old girl presenting as cardiac tamponade, 4 months after an arterial switch operation. The diaphragmatic defect was iatrogenic and emphasizes the danger of inadvertent diaphragmatic injury during cardiac operations.